I brewed an Oktoberfest (ale) about 9 days ago, and all airlock activity has stopped. However, the Krausen is still 1 1/2" high.
Should i rack the beer out from under it into secondary or wait a few days?
__________________ Primary : Nada Secondary Edwort's Apfelwein, AHS Titannia Wheat On Deck: LHBS IPA [Recipe Unknown], Corona Clone (Lawnmower Beer) Bottled: Spicy Orange Pale Ale, Stone Cold Brown Ale Kegged: Spicy Pumpkin Ale
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"
Seriously, just RDWHAHB and it will be fine. You can leave it in primary for several weeks w/o hurting anything.
__________________ Primary: 10g Dry Stout Secondary: nothing Kegged:5g American IPA, 10g Southern English Brown Ale On tap:American IPA, Dry Stout Bottled:"Massacreation" Chinook Barleywine, Belgian Golden Strong Ale (fermented in apple brandy barrel), South Australian Shiraz (2009) Next: 10g American IPA, 10g Belgian Wit
If you want to use a secondary to clear the beer, that's fine -- but you do want to be sure that fermentation is pretty much done. It sounds like this is the case, but you can never be sure until you take a hydrometer reading. Cues like bubbling airlocks, rise and fall of krausen, temperature changes, etc. are often unreliable.
I just took a pic of it. Here is what i have at day 9!
__________________ Primary : Nada Secondary Edwort's Apfelwein, AHS Titannia Wheat On Deck: LHBS IPA [Recipe Unknown], Corona Clone (Lawnmower Beer) Bottled: Spicy Orange Pale Ale, Stone Cold Brown Ale Kegged: Spicy Pumpkin Ale
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"
I wouldn't rack that yet, it looks to me like it is still fermenting. Airlock activity is the least reliable way to determine whether fermentation is occurring. Wait for that krausen to fall, then take a hydrometer reading to determine when to rack.
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And now we go AG!
On Tap: Nadda
Primary: Nadda
Planning: Extra Special Bitter
Today makes 2 weeks that the Oktoberfest has been sitting in the primary fermenter. The layer of foam still looks much the same as it did in the picture. Should i wait for the krausen to fall in, or can i rack from under it?
Another possibility is just leaving it for another two weeks and kegging it. Which option is best?
__________________ Primary : Nada Secondary Edwort's Apfelwein, AHS Titannia Wheat On Deck: LHBS IPA [Recipe Unknown], Corona Clone (Lawnmower Beer) Bottled: Spicy Orange Pale Ale, Stone Cold Brown Ale Kegged: Spicy Pumpkin Ale
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"
I would take a sg and see if it's done. If it's done, then either secondary or keg.
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I also have an Oktoberfest that has had an inch krausen for about a week and a half; personally, I'm not rushing it, just letting it do its thing (even though it means I may not get to brew this weekend ).
__________________
And now we go AG!
On Tap: Nadda
Primary: Nadda
Planning: Extra Special Bitter
Is there something about Oktoberfest's that causes them to retain "head" in the fermenter like this? I can only assume the head retention will be through the roof in the glass.
If anyone has any questions about the recipe, i linked to it in my sig. It's a homebrewtalk exclusive! I think i'm just going to leave it in the primary for a month and then keg.
__________________ Primary : Nada Secondary Edwort's Apfelwein, AHS Titannia Wheat On Deck: LHBS IPA [Recipe Unknown], Corona Clone (Lawnmower Beer) Bottled: Spicy Orange Pale Ale, Stone Cold Brown Ale Kegged: Spicy Pumpkin Ale
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"
Should I Rack to Secondary?
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